Gorilla Dies at Zoo After Lung Surgery
A 29-year-old gorilla died Tuesday at the San Francisco Zoo, less than two weeks after undergoing surgery to remove his diseased right lung.
Kubi, a 422-pound silverback western lowland gorilla, underwent the unprecedented lung procedure May 7. He had been progressing well until Tuesday morning, when keepers said he appeared lethargic and was not eating solid food. He died about 3:30 p.m.
Preliminary necropsy results indicated bleeding from an abscessed pulmonary vessel.
The life span for a western lowland gorilla in the wild is 35 years.
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